What You Should Know About Hamster Breeds
Hamsters have been scientifically categorized into 18
different species. However, 13 of these are only found living in the
wild. The remaining 5 species are commonly found as pets.
Hamsters originate from North Africa, Central Europe and Asia, and are thought to have been in existence for more than 11 million years. They are members of the Cricetinae subfamily of the rodent family. Typical life spans are between 1.5 to 3.5 years.
Syrian hamsters are the breed that most people visualize when they think of pet hamsters. They also called golden hamsters, even though they actually come in more than 40 different colors.
They are the largest breed of the pet hamsters, and tolerate being picked up and handled better than other breeds due to their size. They fight with each other if they are housed together, so it’s best to keep them separated. They can be easily identified by their hands (which have 4 fingers) and their feet (which have 5 toes).
Chinese hamsters have gentle temperaments and tolerate being handled more than the other pet breeds. Due to their long tails and long, thin bodies, they look much like rats. In the United States, California and New Jersey require permits to keep this breed as a pet.
Roborovski hamsters are the smallest sized pet breed. Although they are very active, they are usually timid, and may bite if they are not acclimated to handling while they are young.
It is best to take dare not to let them escape or jump from high places, since they are quite delicate and can be easily hurt. This breed can live together happily if they are properly introduced. If not, they can fight to the death. When compatible, they play well together and are fun to watch. They may be active during the day if their habitat is located away from direct light.
Campbell’s Russian dwarf hamsters are more sociable than many of the other breeds and can be easily kept in same-sex colonies as long as they are introduced to each other when they are younger than 8 weeks old. However, it is also common for them to live peacefully together for a year, and then start fighting, so it’s important to plan for the possibility of needing to separate them at some point. This is the most common breed of dwarf hamster.
Winter white Russian dwarf hamsters (also known as Siberian hamsters) have grey coats with a dark dorsal stripe, until their coats turn white during winter months, due to the short days. They typically don’t like to be handled, and may to bite if they are picked up. For this reason they are not recommended as pets for young children.
